IB Geography 1.1.3 Synthesizing Physical and Human Factors Notes

Both Physical and Human Factors Must Be Considered When Analyzing Population Patterns

1. Human and Physical factors must never be examined in isolation.
2. They almost certainly influence, and act in tandem.

Uneven Distribution and Internal Migration in China

Physical Factors

1. High Population Density in the East
   1. Eastern China is characterized by fertile plains, such as the North China Plain, which supports large-scale agriculture.
   2. Major rivers, including the Yangtze River and Yellow River, provide essential water resources for farming, transportation, and industrial development.
   3. Coastal areas like the Pearl River Delta and the Yangtze River Delta also benefit from a temperate climate conducive to farming and year-round economic activity.

1. Sparse Population in the West
   1. The western regions of China, such as Tibet and Xinjiang, are dominated by harsh physical conditions, including arid deserts (e.g., the Gobi Desert) and rugged mountain ranges (e.g., the Himalayas).
   2. Limited arable land and extreme climatic conditions make these regions unsuitable for large-scale human settlement or intensive agriculture.

Human Factors

1. Economic Growth in Coastal Regions
   1. Coastal cities such as Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou have experienced rapid industrialization, attracting migrant workers from rural areas seeking employment opportunities.
   2. These cities serve as hubs for export-driven manufacturing and global trade.
   3. Special Economic Zones (SEZs), like those in Shenzhen, have driven economic prosperity and created high concentrations of jobs, further encouraging migration.

1. Government Policies
   1. The Hukou system (household registration system) has historically restricted internal migration by tying access to social services (e.g., education, healthcare) to a person’s registered birthplace.
   2. This has created disparities between rural and urban populations.

Statistics and Trends

1. Scale of Migration
   1. Between 1990 and 2020, over 250 million people migrated from rural areas to urban-industrial complexes, primarily in eastern and southeastern China.
   2. This massive migration constitutes one of the largest internal migration flows in human history.
   3. By 2020, over 290 million people were classified as migrant workers, accounting for nearly 20% of China’s population.